In the early days of online gaming, the most common way of communicating with other players is by using an in-game chatbox.
At the time, it was not a big deal since gamers would do anything to make communication accessible. What was important, however, was that players could finally coordinate in-game to achieve objectives faster and more efficiently as a team.
Fast forward a few years, and now various methods of communication exist in games across multiple platforms.
Today, players can use emojis, emotes, voice-chat, and even make their characters do preset gestures in-game. We have come a long way since then.
Voice Comms
Voice chat is the most commonly used form of in-game communication today. Using your voice to convey your messages will have the best potential in relaying your message clearly and concisely.
When using voice comms, players can hear the tone and urgency of the other person’s messages, which can help players react and take the necessary action as fast as possible.
However, not all players will be comfortable with using the voice functionality in-game. Various personal and situational reasons may be the reason.
Pinging is the New Kid on the Block
Thankfully in VALORANT multiple methods of communication are available. This is important because VALORANT requires players to constantly coordinate and report enemy positions, abilities, and statistics to help teammates.
Competitive FPS games like VALORANT require a hundred percent of the player’s concentration at all times to play well. Players need to send messages on the fly without being distracted and taking too much time in-game.
Players can send text-chat through the built-in Chatbox. Talk to other players through the in-game Voice-Chat, and even use their Agents to communicate for them through preset messages.
Pinging is one of the most underrated forms of communication in VALORANT. When used well, players may never utter a single word in-game and still convey important cues to their teammates.
Pinging is so good in VALORANT that the other popular FPS game even decided to implement their version a few months after VALORANT came out. cough CSGO.
It’s that good.
What Ping does in VALORANT
Pinging in VALORANT is simple, quick, but very effective.
Pinging can give out important information cues, warn teammates of danger, alert them of your planned activities, and even tell them the exact angles you are currently watching. Your Agent even calls out some of these pings for you automatically. How convenient.
Let’s take a look at the various information cues you can convey using the in-game Ping function in VALORANT.
Player Distance
Guns and abilities in VALORANT usually have a specific range of effectivity. Guns, for example, have a set amount of distance for the maximum amount of damage that they deal per bullet.
In this case, pinging can help players determine how far away a spot on the map is. Pinging can help newer players get used to how far objects are visually and utilize their gun’s effective range for maximum damage.
Map Callouts
Map Callouts are areas in maps that are often common hiding or holding spots for Defenders and Attackers. These spots are named to resemble real-life objects and places.
For example, Bind’s B-site window is called Hookah, because the B-site window closely resembles an Arabic Shisha room. Since most Arabs refer to the shisha as Hookah locally, the Bind B-site window has garnered the name ‘Hookah‘.
Using the Ping function in VALORANT reveals the official in-game names of specific areas in maps. More often than not, these are the callouts that players use to point out where enemies and their utilities are.
Dropped Gun
The buying phase before each round in VALORANT can sometimes be the most chaotic moments in-game. Players would be asking for guns or skins. Sometimes players even exchange guns, etc.
There are times when people take advantage of the buy phase to go AFK. By the time they get back in the game, they will have missed the Buy Phase.
Pinging a gun that’s dropped on the ground can alert players of the type of gun and where it is currently sitting. Pinging in this situation can help teammates pick up a better gun or a gun with better skins.
Warn Teammates of Danger
Teammates can be warned of specific areas on the map by using the Ping function. This variation of the default in-game ping introduces a sense of urgency to your ping. It is denoted with a red triangle with an exclamation mark.
Alert Teammates That You Plan on Pushing
Another in-game variation of the Ping Function in VALORANT is the Push Timer. With this Alternate Ping, players can initiate a countdown which cues players to start a coordinated mass push. The Ping is denoted with a yellow countdown timer.
Inform Teammates of the Angle You’re Watching
It is often a problem with newer players, especially in lower ranks, where two or more players watch the same angle. This situation is bad for your team because there is more than one angle to watch per bombsite in VALORANT.
With the Ping function, players can alert their team of the exact angles they are currently watching so their other teammates can go ahead and watch another angle.
This Ping uses an eye symbol to show the spot you are currently watching.
Ping Teammates For Some Help
You can also ask your teammates for some help using one of the four available pings in the Ping Wheel. This ping marks an area with a yellow flag informing your team that you need some help.
How to use Ping in VALORANT
Pinging in VALORANT is simple and quick. This makes it a very useful tool in situations that require you to relay a quick bit of information to your teammates.
To use the Ping Function, point your crosshair at the exact location you would like to ping and press the “Z” button (Default key bind. You may remap this button to any button you wish in-game.)
Holding the Ping button brings up the Ping Wheel that displays the other Ping modes that you can use. Drag your mouse up, down, left, or right to use the appropriate Ping.
Caution (Up) – Warns Teammates of potential threats in the area.
Help (Down) – Marks an area where you might need some help from your teammates.
Pushing (Left) – Gives a heads up to your teammates that you plan on pushing an area. A three-second countdown timer is initiated.
Watching (Right) – Tells your teammates that you are watching a specific area/angle.
Ping on the Map
Players can also use the ping function while the in-game map is onscreen. This way, players can ping exact locations on the map to pinpoint enemy locations or points of entry.
To Ping on the map:
- Open up the map by pressing “M” (Default Map Key)
- Left-click anywhere on the map to Normal Ping.
- Press and hold the left-click to bring up the alternate pings. (Danger, Pushing, Watching, Need Help)
Helping your Team
With the help of Ping, players can relay quick bits of information that would otherwise take a ton of time to type in the Chatbox and may be confusing when conveyed through voice-comms.
The communication options in-game are not supposed to be used one after the other but rather in perfect unison to give the most complete and precise information to your team.
Use the Ping function with the other communication methods in VALORANT, and you will surely be helping your team to cruise to victory.
